‘When a film goes beyond the specified level of audio standards, it starts affecting the psychological behaviour of the audience.’

IMAGE: Suriya in Kanguva.

The Suriya starrer Kanguva has been receiving a a lot of backlash regarding its sound levels. Even the actor’s wife Jyothika admitted that the sound was ‘jarring’.

The film has since corrected its sound levels, but Oscar-winning Sound Designer Resul Pookutty tells Subhash K Jha, “We have to give the audience an emotional ride, not a physically hurtful experience.”

A sizeable section of the audience find the sound level of Kanguva and Matka to be intolerable.

I have not seen either film, so I can’t comment.

I’m busy making Pushpa: The Rule an earful experience.

The feedback that is coming on social media about the loudness of these films are unwelcome for any sound designer.

Why do you say that?

We work under tremendous pressure with little time to explore the possibilities of our craft.

What is happening is unfair to us as a community and to the audience at large.

When a film goes beyond the specified level of audio standards, it starts affecting the psychological behaviour of the audience.

Please explain.

A person, who has a migraine for example, will have a terrible time or one who has tinnitus will have no choice but to walk out if the sound level is too high.

Film-makers should know fans will come and go, the audience will stay forever.

It is their responsibility to give the audience visual and auditory experiences that are pleasurable.

IMAGE: Allu Arjun in Pushpa: The Rule.

What are the permissible levels of sound for cinema?

There are Dolby standard levels and spectrum that we work on when we mix films.

There are specific norms and auditory curves that we are supposed to follow so that we don’t hurt audiences’ ears.

Each film would have its aural requirements?

Exactly. Having said this, each film will have its own demands, it all depends on the narrative graph of every film.

What are the cutoff points for the sound decibel in cinema?

85 db SPL at maximum levels. But the overall sound levels in films these days go as loud as 100 db, which hits the threshold of hearing.

Technicality aside, shouldn’t film-makers be mindful of sound levels?

Absolutely. We have to give the audience an emotional ride, not a physically hurtful experience.